Poison at the Village Show by Catherine Coles - Book Review

Poison at the Village Show by Catherine Coles

Martha Miller Series #1 

Publication Date: 17th March 2022

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery 

3.8 Stars 

One Liner: Comfort read for cozy mystery lovers. 

Westleham Village, 1947: The Second World War is over, and people are getting back to their lives. All is not well, but life has to go on. 

Martha Miller is a newcomer in the Westleham Village and has her share of troubles. Stan, her husband, left without a word, and there’s been no news of him for almost a year. Martha takes Ruby, her younger sister, as a lodger to earn her living. 

It doesn’t help that Martha isn’t a favorite in the village. Rather it’s the opposite. When Alice, the chairperson of the Westleham Village Fair committee, falls dead after drinking Martha plum gin at the fair, she is immediately the prime suspect. 

Martha has no choice but to clear her name. Luke Walker, the new and handsome vicar, extends his help and support. 

As the duo tries to solve the mystery, the news of another death reaches them. After all, how can there be only one death? 

Now up to Martha, Luke, and maybe even Inspector Ben to find the killer before it’s too late. With secrets and new crimes being revealed, can they catch the actual murderer? 

My Observations: 

• The book is just 210+ pages long and reads at a decent pace. It’s got the old-world charm of historical cozy mysteries with simple plots. 
• There’s a list of characters and their roles at the beginning of the book. I love this. Makes it easier to keep track and refer. 
• The dynamics between the characters change as the story progresses, and I’m intrigued to read further developments. 
• The beginning is bumpy. It was around 15-20% that I settled into the narrative. Martha sounds older than her age, and I wondered if she was inspired by Miss Marple. It took me a while to guess she was in her early 30s. 
• The side characters are quirky and even stereotypical at times, but I was expecting it. 
• This time, I didn’t want to find who the killer was. I read it more as a way to relax rather than become an active investigator. 
• The solving is uncomplicated, though there aren't too many clues. No twist or surprise, which is always a plus. 
• The ending leaves things open and ready for book two. Needless to say, I am waiting for it. I also hope there will be more character development as the series progresses. 
• I probably would’ve rated it 3 or 3.5 any other time, but this book came to me at the right time. Cozy mysteries are my comfort read, and this did the job. So 4 stars it is. 

To sum up, Poison at the Village Show is a simple cozy mystery and an interesting start to a new series. This one has potential but go with low expectations. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

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